Iran’s envoy: Outcome of talks with US more important than venue

Iran is considering Islamabad as a possible venue for negotiations with the United States, but for Tehran the key issue is not the location of the talks, but the achievement of a fair and balanced agreement, Mohammad Reza Sabouri, Iran’s ambassador to Italy said in an interview with TASS.

He said what matters the most is focusing on the path toward a fair and balanced agreement. The diplomat added that negotiations should not be used as a tool of pressure or a cover for military objectives, accusing the United States of abusing diplomacy and acting in bad faith during previous crises.

According to him, trust between the parties remains extremely low, and the only way to resolve disputes is to return to a diplomatic process.

Sabouri also stressed the strategic nature of relations between Iran and Russia, saying they are developing at the bilateral, regional and international levels.

He described regular contacts between Moscow and Tehran as natural and expected, particularly on regional issues and nuclear-related discussions.

“Our countries have positive experience of bilateral, regional and international cooperation, and current relations are diverse, deep and multifaceted. Exchanges of delegations and meetings between officials are a natural phenomenon and not limited to the present period. Given the positive and broad relations between Moscow and Tehran, consultations between the two countries on various issues, including recent developments and nuclear negotiations, are quite predictable,” he noted.

The ambassador made it clear that Iran opposes any foreign military presence in the Strait of Hormuz, including initiatives proposed by European countries.

“From the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, any foreign interference or presence in the Strait of Hormuz is unacceptable. This also applies to recent plans and statements presented as initiatives by the United Kingdom and France, as well as the European coalition. Iran rejects and condemns these plans and actions and considers them unacceptable,” he explained.

He urged European countries to focus on what he described as the root causes of the situation, namely “U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran as a coastal state in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.”

“The only way to remove obstacles to maritime navigation is to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the coastal state, namely Iran, and to apply political pressure on the United States and the Zionist regime [referring to Israel] to refrain from repeating aggression and comply with the ceasefire,” he emphasised.

Sabouri said that before recent military actions, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf had been ensured. He claimed that current disruptions stem from U.S. and Israeli actions, including the use of regional bases.

He also said Iran had agreed to transit arrangements during the ceasefire period, but accused the United States of continuing a maritime blockade despite Tehran’s compliance.

Given the region’s importance for global energy markets and migration flows, the ambassador warned the situation could have broader consequences, including for Europe, and called for what he described as constructive approaches to restore stability.

He also highlighted the positions of Italy and Spain, saying Tehran noted their statements describing attacks on Iran as contrary to international law. He also referenced remarks by Italy’s prime minister condemning an attack on a girls’ school in Minab.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov